S: SonshipTh: Grace-Full LivingPr: WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN.?: How? How is it observed?KW: Characteristics TS: We will find in our study of Galatians 3:26-4:7, three characteristics that show how we are God’s children.

The _____ characteristic that shows we are a child of God is we are an…

Josie Firstbrook and her husband had adopted their son, Eric, from Korea. When he was 5, they were having lunch at a restaurant, and Eric made conversation with a boy at the next table. At one point the boy asked Eric, “Why don’t you look like your mom?” “Cause she’s a girl,” he replied.

1. Who do you look like?

I know that it’s not pretty, I find myself looking more and more like my dad.Now, he thinks that I am looking better all the time, but I am not so sure that he has the right perspective on the matter.Dad has always liked to line up the Decker noses as he puts it.He thinks that they are distinguished.I think they just cover a lot of space that could be used for other purposes.Dad also thinks its funny that I have become bald sooner than he did.I actually fail to see the humor in that.

Well, I must admit it.There are some striking resemblances between me and my father.

But there is a more important question this morning than “Who do you look like?”It is…

2. Who do you want to look like?

TRANSITION:

We come back to our study on Galatians today.You have had a breather for a couple of weeks.Two weeks ago, Pastor Will did a wonderful job speaking to you about being a member of the family of God.It was a message that corresponds well to our theme today.Last week, Pastor Dick Murphy brought a superb admonition to us to be encouragers like Barnabas.Now we come back to our study to the letter Paul wrote to churches in the region of Galatia.And here is the context…

1. CONTEXT: Paul is defending the essential message and application of the gospel.

As we have noted before, Paul is defending himself against a group called the Judaizers.The Judaizers were a group of very conservative so-called “Christians” who had come into the church after Paul had left and contradicted his teaching.They were taking what Paul said, and twisted it.In fact, he called their gospel, no gospel at all.For they were teaching a form of legalism that equates works with faith.The people in Galatia were told that the way to be right with God was to believe in Jesus and follow the right set of rules. They were bewitched into thinking that you start the Christian life by faith, but you complete yourself by works. Paul considered this impossible and ludicrous.His conclusion was that this nullified grace and dishonored Christ.